Machine for lapping and stitching fabric sections



Dec. 31, 1929. JR. MOF'FAIT 1,741,872

MACHINE FOR LAPPING AND STITCH i NG FABRIC SECTIONS Filed Jan. 21. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 J3 ,1 I 'i i I H 7' an n 1 M Q Hi 1 H {H 4 J0 J5 HI 16 anon Mot a g WW 1 J7 Dec. 31, 1929. J. R. MOFFATT 1,741,372

MACHINE FOR LAPPING AND STITCHING FABRiC SECTIONS Filed Jan. 21, 1928 s sheets-sheet 2 Dec. 31, 1929. J. R. MOFFATT 1,741,372

MACHINE FOR LAPPING AND STITCHING FABRIC SECTIbNS I Filed Jan. 21, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 :16 fz'gizz,

Patented Dec. 31, 1929 JAMES RJ MOFFATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS MECHINETOB/LAPPINGAND SWITCHING FABRIC SECTIONS Application filed J'anuaryel, 1928. Serial No. 248,456.

the trimming devices, and means for returning said trimmed edge portions to lapped relation' to -each other, wherein the presser foot is providedwith aseparating and supporting finger for holding the edge portions raised and for supporting one of the edge portions untilthe other is turned down heneath the same.

A further object of" the invention is to provide av sewing machine of the above type wherein the presser foot is. provided with means for positively turningdown one portion ofthe fabric section after which the other portion ofthe: fabric section: is positively turned down on to the same so that said edge portions are lapped and directed to the stitch forming. mechanism which joins and cover's the lapped portions:

A further objectof. the invention is to provide a sewing machine of the above type with afeeding mechanism which includes a main feddogandan auxiliary feed dog, said auxiliary feed dog having a feeding section for engaging and. feeding the lapped portions-of the fabric-sections to the stitch formingmechanism.

These andotherobjects will in {part be obvious-andwill in part be hereinafter more fully "disclosed.

In the drawingswhiclr show byway of illustration one embodiment ofthe invention g V g V Figure l-is a view'rin front elevation showing portion of a sewing machine embodying. the improvements; l

Fig. 2 is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. is aviewpartly in plan and partly in section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. t is an enlarged detail showing the presser foot in plan, also the trimming blades and the fabric sections passing to the stitchin g mechanism;

5 is a perspective view of the finger located in the guiding slot of the presser foot for supporting anddirecting the edge portions ofthe fabric sections;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the presser foot with the fabric sections being directed into the guiding slot Fig; 7 is a sectionalview on the line 77 of Fig. l;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 4;

F 10 is a bottom plan view of the presser foot shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 11 is a plan view showing a slightly modified form of construction of presser foot;

Fig. 12 is a bottom plan view of the presser foot'shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the throat plate and feed dog sections;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view on an enlargedfscale, showing more or less diagrammatically the manner of directing the fabric sections and overlaa in and stitchin the b :5

The invention is directed broadly to a sewtions'which' maybe of any desired shape,

either in the form of a fiat bed work support, or a cylindrical work supporting arm adapted for tubular work. The work sup port is provided with a throat plate havin feed slots, and the throat plate is smooth and free from projections on its upper face. The throat plate is preferably provided with three slots, one for each needle, and between the needles are fingers over which the stitches are formed. A feeding mechanism is provided for feeding the material across the work support, and the feeding mechanism preferably includes a main feed dog operating substantially in rear of the needles. and an auxiliary feed dog operating substantially in front of the needles. The auxiliary feed dog has a feeding section directly in front of the center needle which is adapted to feed the overlapped sections to the stitching mechanism.

The material is held on the work support by a presser foot carried by a presser bar, and the prcsser foot is provided with an opening for the needles, and with a guiding channel extending from the front end thereof to a point in front of the needles. Mounted on the presser foot are stitch fingers which project into the needle opening, and the stitches are formed over these fingers. Mounted on the presser foot is a stationary trimming blade, and cooperating with said stationary blade is a reciprocating cutting blade. These blades are horizontally disposed and are so positioned as to trim one or both of the edge portions of fabric sections directed into the guiding channel of the presser foot. Mounted on the presser foot is afinger which is located substantially midway between the side walls of the guiding channel. This finger is substantially flush with the under face of the presser foot. The two portions of the fabric sections to be joined are led into the guiding channel, one on each side of said finger. The finger holds the fabric sections raised to vertical position for trimming and directs the same to the trimming mechanism. One side wall of the finger terminates directly in rear of the trimming mechanism, and the guiding channel leads into a recess in the presser foot which is shaped so that the edge portion passing along the side wall of the finger will be directed positively by the walls of the said recess into fiat or horizontal position. The other side wall of the finger extends beyond this recess which turns the edge portion down, and leads into a recess which is shaped so that the side walls thereof positively guide the other fabric section and lays the same flat and horizontally on top of the first turned down portion. Thus it is that two edge portions are lapped and laid flat and horizontal, after which they are directed to the stitch forming mechanism.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, only a portion of the machine has been shown,

as it is believed that this is all that is necessary for one skilled in the art to understand the invention. The machine includes a work support 1 having a threat plate 2. This throat plate as shown in Fig. 13, is provided with feed slots 3, 3, in which an auxiliary feed dog 4 operates. The throat plate is also provided with feed slots 5 in which the main feed dog 6 operates. The throat plate is provided with an opening 7 having stitch fingers 8, and the needles indicated at 9, 1.0 and 11 in Fig. 13, pass alongside of these stitch fingers. The needles are carried by a needle bar 13 which is mounted in the head of the machine and reciprocated in the usual way. Cooperating with the three needles is a single looper 14, which is likewise mounted and oscillated in the usual way so as to enter all three needle loops and thus join the needle loops, as well as securing the same. of stitch forming mechanism, and further description thereof is not thought necessary. Cooperating with the needles above the work support is a movable thread guiding member 15, and a movable thread hook 16 which cooperates therewith in forming thread loops in a cross thread, and laying these thread loops at. each reciprocation of the needles, so that a cross thread is joined to the fabric sections. extending from one side of the line of stitching to the other. This cross thread covers the upper face of the seam. In Fig. 14, I have shown on an enlarged scale, and more or less diagrammatically, two fabric sections F and F. The purpose of the present machine is to direct the upturned portions f, f of these fabric sections to a trii'nming mechanism where the edges are trimmed, and then to place said trimmed edge portions in flat overlapped relation, as clearly shown in this Fig. 14-. \Vhen thus placed in flat relation to each other, the OVGIlZlP-PGtl portions are not only joined, but are covered by a stitching mechanism. The needle threads are indica ted at a, a, a, while the cross thread is indicated at 7). (in the under side is aloopcr thread which joins the needle thread loops. and also covers the underlapped portions of the fabric sections.

Cooperating with the feed dogs is a presser foot 17 carried by a presscr be; 18. The presser foot is provided with an opening 19 through which the needles pass. Mounted on the presser foot is a supporting plate 20 which is provided with two fingers 21, 21 extending into the opening 19. The needles pass alongside of these lingers, and the stitches are formed over these fingers, and the lingers 8 on the throat plate. Mounted on the presser foot is a stationary timming blade 22. Cooperating with this stationary trimming blade is a movable trimming blade 23. These trimming blades are horizontally disposed and the movable blade moves in a horizontal plane for trimming the edge portions of the This is the usual type CIT fabric sections. with a guiding channel 2 2 which "extends from the extreme front end of the presser that it only yields whenthe whole presser toot yields. Located-in the guiding channel E lis a linger 26." This finger 26 extends from a point substantially flush with the lower face of the presser foot to a Ol1'll3 below the path of reciprocation of the movable trimming blade 23. l The finger 26 is carried by e. supporting shank 27 which is secured to the presser foot by means of a screw 28. Tliefinger really divides the guiding channel Qihto two guiding channels. Theguid channel 29 (see 10) between the left-hand ot the presser foot and said finger, receives and guides the upturned portion 7 of thetabric section All that is necessary is to direct this-upturned portion into thischannel, and the side wall of the finger willhold it raised and direct it to the trimming devices. The guiding channel 29 leads into a recess-30 formed in the supporting; shank 27 for the finger. This recess is notcut all the'wayzthrough the shank, but provides anarched portion 31 which crowds down the cut edge ofthe portion 7, and the recess is shaped so as to gradually, but positivelyturn down thisedge portion. The part 32 of the shank directly in rear of this recessissubstantially flush with the under face of the presser foot, andthe front edge thereof is inclined. The rear wall of the recess 30'is shaped similar to this incline, shown in the drawings, and thus it is that the rear wall of the recess turns down and the portion 32 irons down this portion 7 of the fabric section F. On. the other side of the finger 5361s a guiding channel 33 for the edge portion f of the fabric section F. This guiding channel 33 extends to a point beyond the down-folding recess 30 for the other edge portions of the fabric sections. The s de wall. of the finger 26 along the channel 33 positively holds the edge portion f raised and direc sit to the trimming devices. It also holds theedge portion raised in the re gion where the other edgeportion is being tnrneddown, so that the ed e portion 7 may be turned down flat to horizontal position without tlie edge portion f interiiering therewith. The wall of the linger 26 along the channel33 inclines to the left and allows the fabric portion f to lay over against the staionary trimming blade, and after it is trimmed, it passes into a recess 34: at the extreme end of the channel 33. The rear wall otthis recess 3 slants downward to" the extl'BlHQdOWQl' face of the presser foot, and

the :inclined rear wall of==the recess turns K he presserioot is provided down thefabric portion 7 on to the portion The plate 20 carrying the stitch fingers 21 forms therear wall of this recess 34, and this rear wall extending as it does to the lower or under taceot' the foot, irons down the portion f, thus firmly clamping; the over lapped ta ric sections one on top oi the other. The section of theauxiliary feed don; located lirect-ly in front 01" the center needle, engages the overlapped portions oi the fabric sections after they aret .ned down, and aids feeding of: the name to the stitching in bilfi mechanisn'i.

From the above it will be apparent that T have provided a sewing machine wherein cdgeportions of fabric sections to be united may be upturned and directed into separate channels the presser foot, and the finger dividing the channel will hold said upturned portions raised and uirect the same to the trimming mechanism. If both edges ar rais d a suliicient distance, they will be trimmed. One cdgealone may be trimmed, if desir d; the other edge being guided so as to in as beneath the trimming blades. It is pr able, however, to trim both edges. Jitter eedges trimmed, these guiding channels direct the edge portions to recesses formed in the foot and so disposed relative to each other that the walls of the ree will 1 first positively turn down one edge portion and thence positively turn: down the other edge portion on top of the same. After the edge portions are lllillstl'ill'lnld and superposed in flat relation to each other, they are directed to the stitching mechanism which joins the overlapped sections. The stitch: mechanism is preferably so disposed that ti o center needle passes through both 01 the ove lapped sections, while the outside needl pass, respectively;along and. just or side of the trimmed edgeportions. Therefore, the

cting looper thread loops and the concross thread loops will cover the raw trimmed edges of ti o fabric sections, as clearly shown in F] 1d.

Figures 11 and 12 show a modified form of presserfoot :toraccomplishing the results above stated. In this torrent the invention, the presser foot is solid andwithout any yielding parts. The channel dividing linger 26 is mounted at the other side of the presser toot from that shown and described in Figures 1 to 10, inclusive. The guiding. channels and therecesses at the endsthereot are changed slightly. so as to bring about a lapping}: of the left-hand section on to the righthand sec tion; that is a turning down of the righthandsection first, then a turning down of the left-hand section. The channel 33 between the fingerQG and theportion 25 of the presser foot is tern'iinated by the shank 35 which sup ports the finger 26. This shank 35 is secured by screws 36,36 to the right-hand portion of the presser foot. A recess 37 at the end of the so 'i guiding channel 33 in this form of the invention curves to the left and inclines from its front edge downward to a fiat portion 88. This inclined upper wall of the recess will gradually and positively turn down the edge portion f of the fabric section F. The guiding channel 39 between the finger 26 and the other portion of the presser footleads into a recess 40. The stitch fingers 21, 21 are carried by a shank portion 41 secured to the left-hand portion of the foot by a screw 42. The under face of this shank portion 41 is curved downwardly and to the right as viewed in Fig. 11, thus forming a recess 40, into which the edge portion f passes. It is the wall of this recess 40 which positively turns the edge portion 7 down on to the edge portion f. Otherwise, this presser foot functions precisely the same as the presser foot above described in detail.

The presser foot is provided with a portion 43 located in rear of the needle slot which.

' is of substantially the width of the scam formed on the machine. This part can be set with its lower face slightly above the lower face of the main portion of the presser foot and thus a space provided for the increased thickness due to the lapping of the fabric sections and the stitching threads. The same is true of the presser foot shown and described in Figures 1 to 10.

It will be understood that the stitch forming mechanism, the thread 1 ying mechanism, the trimming mechanism and the work supporting mechanism may all be greatly varied without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention is really embodied in the construction of the presser foot. The presser foot, however, is designed for use in a machine which receives the upturned edge portions of fabric sections, and trims one or both of the side edges, after which they are superposed and then joined and covered. Vhile the invention lies in the improvement in the combination, it also lies in the presser foot shown and described.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what- I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is-

1. The combination of stitch forming mechanism including a plurality of needles, horizontally disposed trimming blades arranged in advance of the needles, and a presser foot having an opening for the needles and a guiding channel extending from the front end of the presser foot to a point in front of the opening, a finger carried by the presser foot and extending lengthwise of and dividing said channel, said finger being disposed so as to guide the upturned edge portions of fabric sections to the trimming blades, said presser foot having means at the inner end of said guiding channels for turning down the edge portions of the fabric sections after they are trimmed, the means at the end of one channel being in advance of the other, whereby first one trimmed edge portion is turned down and then the other.

2. The combination of stitch forming mechanism including a plurality of needles, horizontally disposed trimming blades arranged in advance of the needles and a presser foot having an opening for the needles and a guiding channel extending from the front end of the presser foot to a point in front of the opening, a finger extending lengthwise of and dividing said channel, said finger being disposed so as to guide the upturned edge portions of fabric sections to the trimming blades, a shank secured to said presser foot and. supporting said finger, said shank having a recess formed therein into which the opening on one side of said finger leads, said recess being shaped so that the wall thereof will turn down the trimmed edge portion of the fabric section guided along the channel at one side of the finger, a supporting plate attached to the presser foot and carrying said fingers which extend into the opening for the needles, said supporting plate being located in rear of the shank carrying said finger, and forming therewith a recess, the walls of which are shaped so as to turn down the other trimmed edge portion of the fabric sections on to the first-named turned down edge portion.

3. The combination of stitch forming mechanism including a plurality of needles, horizontally disposed trimming blades arranged in advance of the needles and a presser foot having an opening for the needles and a guiding channel extending from the front end of the presser foot to a point in front of the opening, a finger extending lengthwise of and dividing said channel so as to form two in dependent channels extending from the front end of the foot to a point in rear of the trimming blades, means located at the rear end of one of said channels for turning down one of the trimmed edge portions, and means located at the rear end of the other channel and in rear of the first-named means for turning down the other trimmed edge portion on to the first-named edge portion.

4. The combination of stitch forming m'echanism including plurality of needles, horizontally disposed trimming blades arranged in advance of the needles and a presser foot having an opening for the needles and a guiding channel extending from the front end of the presser foot to a point in front of the opening, a finger extending lengthwise of and dividing said channel so as to form two independent channels extending from the front end of the foot to a point in rear of the trimming blades, means located at the rear end of one of said channels for turning down one of the trimmed edge portions, and means located at the rear end of the other channel and in rear of the first-named means for turning down the other trimmed edge portion on to the first-named ed e portion, said finger being shaped so that the raised edge portions of the fabric sections are brought together as they pass between the cutting edges of the trimming blades.

5. The combination of stitch forming mechanism including a plurality of needles, horizontally disposed trimming blades arranged in advance of the needles, a presser foot having two independent guiding channels located side by side and extending from the front end of the presser foot longitudinally of the foot, said channels being positioned so as to permit the edge portions of the fabric sections to be brought together for trimming, horizontally disposed. trimming devices for trimming the fabric sections, means at the rear end of one of said channels for turning down the trimmed edge portion guided by the channel and disposed in rear of said first named means for turning down the other trimmed edge portion on to said first-named portion.

6. The combination of stitch forming mechanism including a plurality of needles, horizontally disposed trimming blades arranged in advance of the needles and a presser foot having an opening for the needles and a guiding channel extending from the front end of the presser foot to a point in front of the opening, a finger extending lengthwise of and dividing said channel into two independent channels for receiving the upturned edge portions of the fabric sections, a shank attached to the presser foot and carrying said finger, said shank extending across the end of one of said channels and having a recess therein, the walls of which are shaped so as to gradually and positively turn down the trimmed edge portion guided through the channel leading to said recess, said fingers extending into said opening for the needles, a plate carried by the foot and extending across the end of the other channel and carrying said fingers, said plate'being spaced from the shank carrying the finger so as to form a recess, the walls of which are curved so as to turn down the other trimmed edge portion of the fabric section on to the first-named edge portion.

7. A presser foot for sewing machines including in combination, a foot portion having an opening therethrough for a plurality of needles and a channel extending from the front end of said foot portion longitudinally of the foot and terminating in front of said needle opening, a finger extending lengthwise of and dividing said channel so as to form two independent channels for guiding upturned portions of fabric sections, a shank carried by said presser foot and supporting said finger, said shank having a recess at the end of said channel on one side of said finger, which is shaped so that the wall thereof engagesv andpositively turns down the portion of the fabric section passing along said channel, stitch fingers extending into said opening forthe needles, a plate carrying said stitch I fingers, said plate eXtending across the end of theother channel and located in rear and spaced from theshank supporting the finger so as'to form-a recess into which the fabric section passing along the other channel will lead into said recess, the walls'of said recess being shaped so as to turn down the edge portion passing along said last-named channel onto the first-named edge'portion.

8. The combination of stitch forming mechanism including a plurality of needles, horizontalljdisiaosed trimming blades arranged in advance of theneedles, and a presser foot having an opening for the needles and a guiding channel extending from the front end of the presser foot to a point in front of the opening, a finger carried thepresser footandl-extending lengthwise of and dividing said channel, said finger being disposed so as to guide the upturned edge portions of fabric sections to the trimming blades, said presser foot having means at the inner end of said guiding channels for turning down the trimmed edge puotions of the fabric sections after they are trimmed, the means at the end of one channel being in advance of the other, whereby first one trimmed edge portion is turned down and then the other, and a feed dog having a feeding setcion directly in front of the needles and beneath the overlapped fabric portions.

9. The combination of stitch forming mechanism including a plurality of needles, horizontally disposed trimming blades arranged in advance of the needles, a presser foot having an opening for the needles and a guiding channel extending from the front end of the presser foot to a point in advance of the needle opening adapted to receive the upturned edge portions of the fabric sections and guide the same to the trimming blades and means carried by the presser foot for positively separating the trimmed edge portions and for turning down the ed e portions of the fabric sections in overlapped relation to each other for presentation to the needles.

10. The combination of stitch forming mechanism including a plurality of needles, horizontally disposed trimming blades arranged in advance of the needles, a presser foot having an opening for the needles and a guiding channel extending from the front end of the presser foot to a point in advance of the needle opening adapted to receive the upturned edge portions of fabric sections, means carried by the presser foot and extending between said upturned edge portions of the fabric sections for guiding and supporting the same, and means carried by the presser foot at the inner end of said guiding channel for turning down the edge portions of the fabric sections after they are trimmed in succession in overlapped relation to each other.

11. A presser foot for sewing machines ineluding a foot portion having an opening therethrough for the needles of the stitching mechanism, and a guiding channel extending from the front end of the foot to a point in advance of the needle opening adapted to receive the upturned edge portions of fabric sections, means carried by the presser foot and extending lengthwise of the channel for dividing the channel and positively supporting the upturned edge portions of the fabric sections, and means at the inner end of the guiding channel and in advance of the opening for the needles for turning down the edge ortions of the fabric sections in succession in apped relation to each other.

Intestimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

JAMES R. MOFFATT. 

